Why we love it: Oh how I love thee, let me count thy ways. We could wax poetic about these Cosmo Holy Grail Beauty Award-winning pimple patches for days. They were created to not only hide and protect a zit, but actually treat it. The salicylic acid is actually brushed onto the patches, allowing for deeper penetration to help heal a breakout. Plus, these go on fairly invisible and stick on well for a full night’s sleep (or day; ya know, whenever you wear ‘em).

One Cosmo editor says: “Most pimple patches just absorb excess oils and look pretty. But these actually flood your skin with salicylic acid to treat a pimple as its on my face (and also prevents new ones from forming while reducing texture).” —BETH GILLETTE, BEAUTY EDITOR

Why we love it: If you're someone who can't stop picking at your zits, these viral stickers are a total game-changer. Starface pimple patches are clutch for keeping bacteria out and helping pimples heal faster. They act as both a physical barrier and a visual distraction, making it way easier to leave your skin alone.

Plus, they’re so freaking cute—I feel like a Gen Z icon every time I show up to the office with a face full of these stickers. Sure, they’re not the most high-tech formula (just classic hydrocolloid), but they soak up excess oil like a dream.

These also come in a soothing version, an anti-bacterial version, and a salicylic acid version, btw.

One Cosmo editor says: "I'm told Gen-Z and Gen Alpha legit will put these on their face even when they don't have a pimple. Like a status symbol. I freakin' wish. But I do put them on my zits, and I wouldn't say it makes me feel cool as a 28-year-old necessarily, but I don't feel uncool, which is pretty great considering all the years my acne made me so insecure. TY for that, Starface. Aside from the super cute aesthetic, I do love how these keep me from picking at my pimples or putting makeup on them when I'm trying to let them heal."—BG

Why we love it: These pimple patches from The Inkey List are nearly invisible and are loaded with acne-busting ingredients—no wonder they earned a Cosmo Holy Grail Award!

Yes, it's a hydrocolloid patch so it's great for reducing excess oil, but it's also got salicylic acid to exfoliate and unclog pores, and succinic acid to reduce redness. And if that's not enough, it also has ectoin to soothe the skin barrier. Your breakouts are no match for these multitasking dots.

One Cosmo editor says: “I actually feel comfortable wearing these outside of the house, thanks to their super-thin and nearly invisible appearance. That said, they’re also great for overnight wear because they have enough sticking power to stay put on my face while I toss and turn. Plus, they’re a great price point—you get 22 patches for just $9!”—JASMINE HYMAN, ASSISTANT BEAUTY EDITOR

One Cosmo editor says: “When I saw justin and Hailey’s iconic campaign photos for these pimple patches, I was excited to own them for that reason alone like the beauty fangirl I am. Now, I’ve been using the flower patches on my chin breakouts and they truly have been game-changers for my hormonal acne. They don’t peel off even after hours (unlike some other fun ones I’ve tried) and they keep me from picking or touching at my face. I wore one overnight last week and when I took it off, it removed a huge whitehead that I was ready to pop.”—JH

One Cosmo editor says: "I like using these for the pimples I know I shouldn't be picking or popping, because it helps protect, disguise, and flatten them. They're great for wearing all day wear. I love putting them on at my desk, and they're just about ready to be taken off once I leave the office."—JH

Why we love it: These extra large pimple patches are ideal for clusters of breakouts across the chin, forehead, or wherever else your acne tends to flare up. Each one has more than 1,000 microdarts that are loaded with ingredients like salicylic acid and niacinamide to precisely target the area. After a few hours, the micropoints dissolve, feeding your skin with acne-fighting ingredients.

One Cosmo editor says: “Cystic zits are essentially impossible to get rid of once they’ve already made a home on my face. But at the first sign of a bump, I stick one of these microdart patches on. Salicylic acid gets deep into the pimple to exfoliate dead skin, helping to flatten the spot and reduce any further irritation.” —BG

These pimple patches are not the decorative ones that you accessorize your face with (no shade, we still love those). But, if you're looking for some serious oil-lifting powers, these heavy-duty dots are your best bet. They're super thick, packed with draining hydrocolloid, and they flatten out pimples with just one wear.

Active ingredients: Hydrocolloid

One Cosmo editor says: "These are one of the few pimple patches that stay put on my oily skin without the edges lifting up. They also suck gunk out of a zit more quickly than other options I've tried." —LAUREN BALSAMO, BEAUTY DIRECTOR

While these stickers might look like all fun and games, they're actually loaded with skin-loving ingredients. Packed with soothing azelaic acid and centella asiatica, these are ideal for angry and irritated pimples. The strong-hold patches also have panthenol to hydrate the skin barrier amid breakouts.

Active ingredients: Azelaic acid, centella asiatica, panthenol

One Cosmo editor says: "I wasn't sure about these patches at first, but it was pride month and there was a rainbow! How could I say no! Also, I trust Dr. Idriss and love all of her other skincare products. I quickly ended up using the entire pack and promptly went back to my office and grabbed another pack to take home. These are thicker than other patches I've tried, so they stick on really well and don't budge, even while sweating or sleeping. But they seriously help suck out the gunk from a zit and, most of all, soothe it to make it appear so much flatter when you take it off."—BG

Cystic acne, by nature, basically responds to nothing. Sure, you can exfoliate, soothe, and hydrate the hell outta those big ol’ bumps, but it’s not gonna do too much. However, the only thing I’ve ever found to seriously make a difference are these microdart patches from Zitsticka. With salicylic acid to treat your pimple from within plus glycolic acid to chemically buff away the dead skin on the surface.

• Active ingredients: Salicylic acid, glycolic acid

One Cosmo editor says: "These patches are essentially a dynamic due against even the deepest of my zits. With two types of exfoliating ingredients, it treats pimples deep within the skin *and* on the surface to flatten 'em out."—BG

Yes, pimple patches really do work. But not how you think. If you don’t already have a whitehead, don’t expect your pimple patch to magically pop your zit for you. Instead, they use a material called hydrocolloid, which helps “absorb fluid from a pimple that has already formed a ‘head,’ aka a whitehead,” says dermatologist Deanna Mraz, MD. Because of this, they’re great for sucking up any excess oils on your skin, which can make your acne look flatter and less inflamed. Plus, they help protect your pimple from getting even more irritated, especially from picking/touching/bacteria, which can minimize healing time and prevent scarring, she adds.

But there are also newer types of pimple patches that can be great for treating and preventing acne too. “A medicated patch will actively smother the pimple in ingredients like salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, and/or tea tree oil,” Dr. Mraz says. “These active ingredients target inflammation and bacteria to speed up healing.”

Plus, there are microneedling patches now, which have teeny-tiny spikes on them that will penetrate your pimple and help deliver active ingredients deeper into your skin, Dr. Mraz explains. “These are great for the deep, cystic pimples that you might not even really see at the skin’s surface yet but can feel underneath,” she says. Typically, these also can be filled with soothing ingredients, like centella asiatica, allantoin, and bisabolol.

Assess your pimple.

Do you have a whitehead that’s already formed or a blind pimple that’s still under the skin? What type of zit you’re working with should def reflect the pimple patch you choose. Generally, a standard hydrocolloid pimple patch is perfect for a typical whitehead that’s ready to pop (if you were going to do that, which you obviously aren’t...). However, a cystic pimple deserves something with a little more oomph, like a medicated pimple patch or a micropoint version. Speaking of...

Look for active ingredients.

When you want your pimple patch to work a lil harder, opt for one that’s filled with actives that’ll actually help get rid of a zit. Think: exfoliating salicylic acid, smoothing and oil-balancing niacinamide, soothing allantoin and centella asiatica, brightening vitamin C, anti-bacterial tea tree oil and benzoyl peroxide, etc.

Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with eight years of experience researching, writing, and editing skincare stories.

Jasmine Hyman is the assistant beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with four years of experience writing about everything from LED masks to nail trends. As a beauty editor prone to hormonal acne, she's tried just about every pimple patch out there.